In Figure 1, the solid black line represents the rule’s calculation for minimum acceptable range.

If anything, in practice men are than the rule would designate appropriate.

For example, this sample of 60-year-old men report that it is acceptable to fantasize about women in their 20s, which the rule would say is unacceptable.People reported distinct age preferences for marriage; a serious relationship; falling in love; casual sex; and sexual fantasies. Based on the figures Buunk and colleagues (2000) provided (and thus the numbers are only informed approximations), I replotted their data superimposing the max and min age ranges defined by the half-your-age-plus-7 rule.Now we can see how well the rule corresponds with people’s reported acceptable ages.I thought things might change when she found out my husband liked him but even that doesn't put Claire off.